To have six years of professional football under my belt already is really something.

Playing professional football is something I'll never be able to do.

I know that there are coaches in the Bundesliga that have said in team meetings, 'Provoke Xhaka; he will eventually go ballistic.' I think that is sad. That, in my view, has nothing to do with football.

The only thing I ever wanted to be was a professional football player.

Since I was in high school, I wanted to play professional football and professional baseball, be a two-sport star.

It was a very exciting time for me to play professional football, finally.